Dance of Death: Consequences of the Fall

Having been banished from the Garden of Eden, the first humans must work for their food, tilling soil which has been cursed by God. Here Adam is seen digging the ground, with the help of Death, who will be the ever-present companion of Man. In the distance, Eve is seen breast-feeding her first born child, the first human born of human parents, and weaving.

Death is shown plowing the fields alongside Adam, but the crop that he harvests is not food but the life of humans, hence Death's other name: The Grim Reaper.

Dance of Death

The Dance of Death is an important allegory commenting on human mortality and the passing transience of life. It depicts Death as a fairly jovial skeleton armed with a scythe, who invites his victims to a dance which invariably ends in their demise. The point of the allegory is that no one can refuse its invitation to the dance: hgh church officials, kings or paupers, all must dance and eventually die.